The Resurrection: What Do Scholars Say?

Gary Habermas has compiled the most comprehensive investigation to date on what scholars believe about the Resurrection. Habermas collected more than 1,400 of the most critical scholarly works on the Resurrection written from 1975 to 2003. In the Risen Jesus and Future Hope, Habermas reports that virtually all scholars from across the ideological spectrum- from ultra-liberals to Bible-thumping conservatives- agree that the following points concerning Jesus and Christianity are actual historical facts:


1. Jesus died by Roman crucifixion.

2. He was buried, most likely in a private tomb.

3. Soon afterwards the disciples were discouraged, bereaved, and despondent, having lost hope.

4. Jesus tomb was found empty very soon after his interment.

5. The disciples had experiences that they believed were actual appearances of the risen Jesus.

6. Due to these experiences, the disciples lives were thoroughly transformed. They were even willing to die for their belief.

7. The proclamation of the Resurrection took place very early, from the beginning of the church history.

8. The disciples public testimony and preaching of the Resurrection took place in the city of Jerusalem, where Jesus had been crucified and buried shortly before.

9. The gospel message centered on the preaching of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

10. Sunday was the primary day for gathering and worshiping.

11. James, the brother of Jesus and a skeptic before this time, was converted when he believed he also saw the risen Jesus.

12. Just a few years later, Saul of Tarsus (Paul) became a Christian believer, due to an experience that he also believed was an appearance of the risen Jesus.

In light of these accepted facts, the evidences shows that:


The New Testament Story is Not a Legend-

The New Testament documents were written well within two generations of the events by eyewitnesses or their contemporaries, and the New Testament story line is corroborated by non-Christian writers. In addition, the New Testament mentions 30 historical figures who have been confirmed by sources outside the New Testament. Therefore, the New Testament story cannot be legend.


The New Testament Is Not a Lie-

The N.T writers included divergent and embarrassing details, difficult and demanding sayings, and they carefully distinguished Jesus' words from their own. They also referenced facts and eyewitnesses that their readers either already knew or could verify. In fact, the N.T writers provoked their readers and prominent first-century enemies to check out what they said. If that's not enough to confirm their truthfulness then their martyrdom should remove any doubt. These eyewitnesses endured persecution and death for the empirical claim that they had seen, heard, and touched the risen Jesus, yet they could have saved themselves by simply denying their testimony.


The New Testament Story Is Not Embellished-

The N.T writers were meticulously accurate, as evidenced by well over 140 historically confirmed details. They recorded miracles in those same historically confirmed narratives, and they did so without apparent embellishment or significant theological comment.


So Is The New Testament Truth?-

If most scholars agree with the twelve facts stated above then the New Testament story is not a legend, a lie, or an embellishment, then we know beyond a reasonable doubt that the New Testament writers accurately recorded what they saw.




Norman Geisler: I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist



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